PL+S 2013: SSL enters the world of live sound

Solid State Logic has launched its first ever live sound console at the Prolight+Sound show in Frankfurt.

Simply branded ‘Live’, the console was designed with the same approach to providing optimum audio quality as is evident in the firm’s renowned studio desks.

“So many people have been asking us to make a console for live for so long and the time has come,” said Antony David, managing director at SSL. “It has been a couple of years in the making because we like to get things right at SSL and we are very confident that we have created a console engineers will fall in love with. It is very exciting to be entering a completely new area of the industry, with a new technology platform and a fresh approach to how a live console should sound and how to give engineers a control surface that helps them deliver exceptional performances. We are really looking forward to how the professional live sound community reacts.”

The Live console can be utilised across the full spectrum of live sound applications, whether it be for touring or installation; FOH or monitors. It features 976 inputs and outputs and 192 full processing audio ‘paths’ at 96kHz. How those ‘paths’ are configured is highly flexible, with power allocated to Channels, Auxes, Stem Groups and Masters configured to suit the needs of each show.

All processing is built into the console surface, a collection of I/O connectivity built into the frame. A full range of Stagebox I/O connects to the console via MADI with the potential for larger systems to make use of SSL’s own Blacklight technology that carries up to 256 channels of bi-directional audio and control via a single fibre connection.

The console also combines multiple tablet style multi-gesture touch screens with hardware ergonomics, visual feedback and a collection of new features.

Meanwhile, Live comes with studio grade SuperAnalogue mic preamps, 24bit/96kHz A/D D/A conversion, to 64bit internal processing and 96khz operation throughout, along with a collection of 30 new effects and audio analysis tools.

Live is due to ship in September 2013, and, depending on configuration, will be priced between £48,000 and £75,000.